It's lonely at the top And the city sleeps below
by im-a-yogi
Summary: [Post Season 6] President Noah Daniels has discovered it’s lonely at the top. Wallowing in self pity isn't what a president should be doing, is it? Good thing Karen feels less than sympathetic.


_Author's __Notes: I tend to find bad guys irresistible and Noah Daniels is no exception! I wrote this before I saw ep 6x20 so I had no idea he was a widower. I thought about rewriting the fic but kinda liked this version so I kept the wife!

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**And the city sleeps below  
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The hotel the president and his staff were staying at in Chicago had a bar on the top floor. The floor-to-ceiling windows offered a stunning view of the city - especially at night.

They usually closed at 1 am but the guy managing the bar made an exception tonight. The sole remaining guest wasn't someone you kicked out - even if it was after closing-time. It was 2:30 in the morning and he was tidying up behind the bar, yawning and watching the silent frame in the lounge chair by the windows.

President Noah Daniels was sitting alone in the darkness in a big black leather armchair. His drink was sitting on the tiny glass table in front of him and he was staring out the windows watching the skyline and the city lights.

The door swung open and the bartender faintly recognised the woman as the National Security Advisor. The lights over the bar counter made her look over there first and she nodded towards him.

The room, with windows facing north, south and east, was lit by only a few well-placed spotlights and thousands of tiny lamps covering the ceiling making you feel like you were under a starlit sky. The effect of the city lights would be lost otherwise. It took her a little while to locate the president at the other end of the room.

"Mr President?"

Noah looked up at her and motioned to her to sit down. She took the chair next to his facing the spectacular view.

"I was on the phone with Tom before I called… so I knew you weren't sleeping," he said.

Karen gave him a tired smile. "Well, we should both be in bed. It's going to be a long day tomorrow… Tom and I were going over the itinerary." She leaned back in her chair, resting her arms on the big, square armrests, tapping lightly with the fingers on her left hand and his eyes were drawn to her wedding ring.

"How's Bill?" he asked.

He saw the flash of pain in her eyes before she looked away, staring out the windows.

"He's doing OK, I guess… under the circumstances."

Noah nodded slowly. Karen's marriage was on shaky ground. No wonder after what she had done to her husband. As much as he appreciated her decision he knew he'd never forgive anything like this being done to him. He certainly didn't envy the position she had been put in. Having to make such a tough call… He knew it weighed heavily on her.

The investigation was putting a lot of pressure on them both and Bill had been hung out to dry in the press as incompetent and sloppy. It wasn't true, Noah knew this, but he was glad it was Bill, and not Karen, taking the fall. So far the Presidency was untainted by the incident.

"You need a drink" he said and when she didn't protest he waved the bartender over. He pointed at his glass. "Another one for me…" He looked at Karen and she nodded. "And one for Ms Hayes…"

The bartender nodded and took the empty glass.

"I wish you wouldn't push the policy this hard. I'm not sure it will resonate well with Palmer's voters and…" She was changing the subject obviously not willing to discuss the state of her marriage with him. "It's been six months and the country is starting to heal and forget. The crisis was solved without these measures and…"

"The people know we live in a different world now… They haven't forgotten anything. And don't forget that my tactic worked… Palmer sure made good use of it."

"I still think…"

"I didn't ask you to come up here to talk politics, Karen" he interrupted sharply and they both fell silent when the bartender came with their drinks.

After he had set them down on the table Noah dug into the breast pocket of his jacket and handed him a couple of neatly folded bills. "You can close up now. We'll be out of here soon…" The bartender nodded and returned to the bar.

Noah raised his glass and Karen did the same. The drink was strong, a Rusty Nail as usual, and they both sipped slowly in silence.

The lights in the bar was turned off and they heard the bartender leave, talking to the secret service waiting outside the door, before the doors fell shut again.

"The city looks so beautiful from up here." She was staring out the windows.

"Yeah, I found this place a couple of hours ago and haven't moved more than for a trip to the restroom." He grinned but the smile faded and he sighed heavily.

"Is something wrong? Are you OK?"

"I'm just feeling worn out tonight… and lonely…" He missed Lisa. He hadn't dared admitting to himself just how much he had cared for her. It was easier to pretend she had only been a distraction and way to relax – like he usually viewed the women he slept with. But she had been different. The betrayal had hurt but he guessed he had it coming. He probably deserved it. His new assistant, handpicked fresh out of Harvard, smart, beautiful and ambitious, had resisted his advances so far and seemed to find his flirtation flattering but nothing more.

Noah sighed again and took a big gulp of the drink. He was a large man and it took considerable amounts of alcohol to get him intoxicated but tonight he could feel the effect of the alcohol and he welcomed it. He stared into his drink, rotating the glass in his hand, before downing it.

He glanced over at Karen. She looked at him with concern and it made him feel a little better. It meant she cared. He sat the glass down on the table between them and glanced over at the bar, for a second forgetting he had told the bartender to close. Disappointed he returned his gaze to meet Karen's.

He noticed how exhausted she looked. Her navy blue suit was wrinkled now. It had looked so crisp this morning. Her hair was pulled back in a bun and her lipstick was gone. She looked beautiful, he concluded to himself as he let his eyes travel down her legs. Sitting down her skirt had slid up and he knew he was a little too obvious with his staring.

Karen snorted. "Susan's here."

Noah almost groaned. His wife… Like she would make him feel less lonely? Cold as ice since the birth of their twin boys 27 years ago. Not entirely her fault since that was when she found out he was sleeping with his secretary. But he got Karen's point, even if he hated how she had a way of always trivialising his problems. At least his wife was in the same state. But he wished she wasn't. Travelling with her was a nightmare. They had a two bedroom suite but she still seemed to occupy the whole place and it was frustrating and tiresome trying to avoid each other as much as possible. And of course he couldn't keep any female company. He always ended up feeling more lonely with his wife than when he really was on his own.

"Has something happened?" Karen probed and he looked at her with weary eyes shaking his head.

"It's just not how I thought it would be…"

"What? Your marriage? The presidency…?"

"Life…"

"Oh, for God's sake, Noah!"

He didn't look at her but knew she was rolling her eyes. As usual he got no sympathy from her.

Six months earlier he had worked against Wayne Palmer, trying to steal the presidency. He had done whatever it took to push his agenda but now, with Palmer still in coma and the country still in shock, he was sure this wasn't what he had bargained for. The nation missed its true, elected leader and he was just the substitute, forced to make unpopular decisions.

Not that he needed the love of the people to do what was best for the country. He had always been just as satisfied with installing fear as long as he was able to exact obedience. It was what he was used to from his time in the service. But now that he was here he knew how Wayne must have felt. David Palmer's shadow still hung over this office and no one seemed to be able to fill his shoes.

Karen's cell phone rang and she quickly got up and moved towards the windows to talk privately.

She didn't go far enough and Noah eavesdropped shamelessly. It was probably her husband and he glanced at his watch. It was only midnight on the West Coast. He hated the way Karen's voice softened when she spoke to Bill nowadays. She sounded weak and guilty and always seemed to be pleading. Tonight was no exception. She was explaining something and he could hear the frustration in her voice and then the tired resignation. Her shoulders slumped and her composure seemed to falter.

He couldn't see her face, she was facing the windows and there wasn't enough light in the room for him to see her reflection, but he hoped she wasn't crying.

Karen slammed the phone shut without saying goodbye and stood silent watching the city below for a minute before turning around.

He could see the tears in her eyes as she tried to blink them away and was filled with anger but he knew better than to voice it.

She sat down heavily in the chair and avoided his gaze as she finished her drink.

"Too bad you told the bartender to close up" she said dryly and tried to smile. She brought a hand to the back of her neck kneading the stiff area, breathing deeply and heavily.

Noah knew how stress made her neck muscles tense up.

"Karen…"

"It's OK… I deserve this…"

"It will all work out, Karen."

She looked at him disbelievingly, shaking her head. She managed to make him feel powerless. He was undoubtedly the most powerful man in the world but he couldn't help her or her husband. His hands were tied by the DOJ but his promise to Karen to set things right in the end was real. He intended to keep it.

"My marriage will be over long before this investigation is finished." She paused. "I made my choice and Bill knows it… I know it… everyone knows it…"

"It was the right choice. The only choice."

Her eyes were dark when she stared back at him. He knew she was disappointed. The administration she had wanted to protect with her actions was no longer the same. She wasn't sure it was worth it anymore.

A month earlier she had come to him and said she wanted to resign. She felt she had no place in the administration, her suggestions and advice were constantly overlooked or ignored, Palmer was still in a coma and her marriage was failing. She needed to be in LA with her husband, show her support for him now that the investigation was well on its way.

Noah had refused to let her go.

She had thrown down her letter of resignation on his desk and he had picked it up and tossed it in the wastebasket. He had never seen her so angry. She had yelled at him, describing in no uncertain terms what kind of man he was, that she had always known him to be a power hungry son of a bitch and what reason could he possibly have to wanting to keep her as security advisor? He would be better off with one of his lackeys.

When he finally got a word in he told her the simple truth. No one was more qualified for the position. He couldn't even think of a suitable replacement. And he wasn't looking for everyone to agree with him - he was surrounded by yes-men and he appreciated how she always backed up her dissidence with valid facts. He valued her input – even when he later went in another direction.

He had worried she'd try and quit again after what happened between them but she seemed convinced now that she'd be better off helping Bill if she stayed in the administration.

"I'm going to bed…" She didn't move though and he looked at her. She was staring straight ahead.

He wanted to throw out a "want me to join you?" but bit his lip. If she wanted his company she'd let him know. She always did.

"I hate it…" she said abruptly, "sleeping alone…" She looked at him and his pulse quickened. Was this an invitation? He waited for her to continue.

"I miss being touched, held, being close…" her voice trailed off and she stared out the windows again. "I can't believe how used to it I had managed to become." She suddenly leaned forward. "What drives you, Noah? What makes you go from woman to woman? Is it just the sex or is it something more?"

She looked genuinely curious and amused he tried to come up with a satisfactory answer. What drove him? He liked sex. But telling her it was purely the sexual act he was interested in would be a lie. He enjoyed the challenge and the pursuit and once he was successful he liked the intimacy – yes, the closeness.

He told her and she nodded.

"Even though our relationship has been long distance for long periods of time… I never thought I'd…"

She looked at him and he knew what she was referring to.

Noah nodded.

"You know I want…" His voice was hoarse and he cleared his throat and started over. "If you'd let me I can make you feel less lonely."

She didn't say anything.

He leaned forward and put his hand on her knee. She watched his hand as it slid up slightly and then she put her hand on top of his, stopping it from getting further up her thigh.

"I can't" she whispered and he removed his hand. "It was a mistake… It can't happen again."

"I know." Resting his elbows on his thighs he pressed his palms together.

She was rubbing her neck again.

"Want me to…?" he waved his hand to her neck. She shook her head but he got up and walked around to the back of her chair anyway. He let his hands rest heavily on her shoulders for a couple of seconds and felt her trying to relax her muscles in preparation of his massage.

He was careful when he felt just how stiff her neck was. He moved her necklace and the hair at the nape of her neck out of the way and rubbed his thumbs up and down the base of her skull. Her head lolled forward and she moaned.

"Feel good?" he whispered with his lips close to her ear. "Want me to continue?" His lips brushed against her ear and neck. He could feel her shiver.

They both heard the door being opened. Karen froze and Noah straightened his back. Taking his hands off her he took a few steps back before the man from Secret Service stepped out of the shadows.

"Excuse me, Mr President," he said, "Mrs Daniels called… She wanted to know where you were and if you're going to be long?"

Noah glanced down at Karen. Her eyes were closed and she was tracing the outline of her mouth with her fingers. Her tongue darted out, wetting her lips.

"We're almost done here. Tell her I'll be down shortly."

"Mrs Daniels wished to go to sleep so she asked that you'd be quiet getting in, sir."

Noah nodded and the agent left, closing the door behind him.

Karen looked up at him and he smiled throwing his arms out in defeat. It just wasn't meant to be.

He stretched out his arm, offering her his hand, but she hesitated. Finally she took it and he pulled her out of the chair towards him, keeping her hand in his a little too long.

"Good night, Karen."

"Good night, Mr President" she said quietly. She looked up at him, straightened out her skirt and started walking towards the door. Halfway there she turned around.

"You're not going to bed?"

He shook his head. "I'm going to stay here a little while longer." And hopefully Susan is asleep when I get to the room, he thought.

Karen nodded and left.

He walked over to the windows and looked down. From the 26th floor the world looked different – like something he wasn't part of.

Noah put his hands in the pants pockets and rocked back and forth on his heels.

He had been warned it was lonely at the top.  
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End file.
